Gaz regretting not putting the boots back on

INJURIES meant Gareth Ainsworth had to include himself amongst the substitutes on Monday - but the Blues boss said it might have been for the best if he'd brought himself on.

Ainsworth officially stepped down from playing at the end of last season but remained registered as a player after signing non-contract terms at the start of the current campaign.

The Bank Holiday trip to Fleetwood was the first time the 40-year-old had had cause to name himself as a substitute, with Blues only being able to name six replacements.

And Ainsworth admitted maybe he should have brought himself out of retirement to influence things from closer quarters.

He said: "Hindsight is fantastic. Probably looking at the game I should have put myself on. The brain is definitely there and the organisation coming onto the pitch would have helped, but whether the result would have been any different, that's another hindsight thing.

"If everyone had that they would all be winning the lottery every Saturday. There's no crystal ball telling us what we should or shouldn't have done."

The Blues boss is likely to have Matt McClure and Marvin McCoy back in contention for a place against Bristol Rovers on Saturday, but he said Steven Craig's inclusion is doubtful.

Meanwhile Rovers will be without key trio Alan Gow - signed from Exeter to help solve their goalscoring problems - Ryan Brunt and Michael Smith.